The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-08-27
REPUBLICAN, DEcADENCE.
Tho PitIabie Condition Of the Bloody
Shirt and Palsy Party.

Tho PitIabic Condition Of the Bloody
Shirt and Palsy Party.
The Toledo convention made bad
start for the Republican party in re-
spcct to the campaign of 1888 on ac-
count of the weakness Of It's platform
and the exhibition Of q desperate
anxiety on the part Of Senator Sher-
man to put himself forward rs an aspi.
rant for the Republican nomination for
the Presidency. The principal busi-
ness of the convention seemed to be
the formulation of n resolution under
which to set forth and enunciate the
Sherman claim to the nomination in the
name of the Republicans party in Ohio.
The indefatigablc Senator was on the
spot drilling his partisans like q very
Suwarrow on the eve Of battle, and he
succeeded in pushing the resolution
through, Notwithstanding the dogged
opposition of Blaine men, who re-
mained steadfastto the fortunes of their
absent chief and sat grimly and sug-
gestively impassive amid the cheers and
the rejoicings of the not very decisive
Sherman majority.
This is in marked contrast with the
harmonious sentiment and action of
the Democratic convention at Cleve-
land, that, with simple earnestness and
unanimity, indorsed the general policy
and conduct of President Cleveland's
Administration. But i'm paying this
tribute to the present Democratic
President, the Cleveland convention
did not neglect its obligation to make
a plain statement of principles and
political purpose, so that the people
might make fair estimate of their
fidelity to the doctrines of the party
and the demands of the Nation upon
its central government. At Toledo,
they seem to have considered it about
sufficient to sound the praises of John
Sherman and make a parade of his
pretensons to the Presidency. What
they had to say about questions of
National Importance was so tlimsy and
indefinite rs to produce the effect of
having been introduced as mere
prelude to the resolution elaborately
phrused to make Sherman boom.
The only thing that was strong and
earnest about the Toledo convention
was its enthusiastic denomination of
Governor Foraker, and, no doubt, there
will be lively contest between him
and the comparatively young and vig-
orous Gubernatorial candidate of the
Democracy.
But what have the Republican State
fN nlniy in ha tar
of principle relating to National af-
fairsp There is not one point of van-
tage that they hold in present politics
by virtue of their anteccdents or their
record. After quarter of acentury
of supremacy in central government,
they have left to Democratic Admin
istration the task of saving the public,
lands from the clutch of spectators,
railroad corporations and foreign syn
dicates, and holding what is left of
them for the use and occupancy of the
actual settler. At this late day, and in
the face of President Cleveland's ring
ing declaration of the National policy
upon that subject, the Republicans can
hardly give that issue any prominence'
| in their repertory AS to honesty and
| efficiency in the administration of pub
Lie affairs, it is enough that the people
have had two years experience of
sound Democratic government to con-
trast with as many decades of Repub-
lican corruption and misrule. The.
Republican State conventions,will have
to occupy themselves chiefly with the
gloritication of Sherman or a Blaine,
for, with the exception of some little
! by-play with the shirt and aninterlude
of juggling with the palsies, there is
nothing else for them to do.-M Y.
| NeacS.